Torrington named 'Best Community for Music Education' for 13th year in a row

Photos by Marianne Killackey Wayne Splettstoeszer conducts the Torrington High School Concert Band as they perform in the Tri Town Band Festival, a collaborative effort of Torrington, Northwestern Regional 7, and Canton High Schools. The concert was held at the Warner Theatre on Tuesday night.

Photo by Marianne Killackey. Wayne Splettstoeszer conducts the Torrington High School Concert Band as they perform in the Tri Town Band Festival, a collaborative effort of Torrington, Northwestern Regional 7, and Canton High Schools. The concert was held at the Warner Theatre on Tuesday night.

Torrington >> For a 13th year in a row, Torrington has been named a Best Community for Music Education, becoming the only district in the state to be selected for the award that many times.

According to a Best Schools news release, nearly 2,000 schools and school districts across the country participated in the survey this year.

"The Best Communities designation recognizes collaborative, from-the-ground -up efforts of teachers, administrators, students and parents who continually work to keep comprehensive music education as an integral part of the core curriculum," according to the news release.

The Best Communities are determined through an extensive national survey of districts across the country, the results are tallied by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and only the districts who place in the 80th percentile or higher are selected for the award.

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"Music Education in Torrington is what makes our community great," said Mayor Ryan Bingham in a statement. "The long list of accomplishments, awards, recognition, and success that Torrington's Music Education program has achieved is incomparable. I look forward to hearing the beat march on for Torrington's Music Program and reach new heights. What an amazing feat, with amazing leadership and teachers."

This award is coming at a time when the praised music program may see changes in the face of this tough budget year.

Three budgets were proposed to the Board of Education. Superintendent Cheryl Kloczko's recently proposed "investments" budget calls for a 7.8 percent increase, or $5.1 million, over the 2012-2013 budget of $66,444,310. That is the most generous budget option. One option included a zero increase budget, which would eliminate upwards of 80 faculty and staff positions. A third, a 5.75 percent increase budget, a $3.8 million increase, would "maintain" existing programs as they are now.

The zero increase budget calls for the elimination of both the instrumental music and strings program district-wide. As reported by the Register Citizen on March 18, more than one Board of Education member expressed an unwillingness to cut the district's award-winning music program, members appeared divided.

Over the past two weeks there have been several public hearings to discuss the budget. At each hearing, members of the public have addressed the board and expressed their disagreement with cutting music programs.

At a hearing hosted in the Vogel-Wetmore Elementary School's media center, many students showed up with their instruments to advocate against cutting music programs.

"Our love for music is stronger than the foundation that holds up this building," said Angel Blauvelt, Southwest School student council president.

"I'm a member of band for my third year now," Ben Thompson, a junior at Torrington High School told the school board at a public hearing in Torrington High School on March 20. "We are an excellent band as you can see from this banner. Our 13th year in a row of being a Best Community for Music Education in the state, and the fact that we're going to cut things like that but then still try to benefit all the kids that aren't trying, aren't doing anything."

"That's why we have the news crews here today because of kids that don't know what they're doing, that don't want to benefit our school in a positive way, and I can guarantee you that if we continue on the way that we are, those news crews will just multiply and multiply until Torrington is just always bad publicity," Thompson said in reference to the coverage of rape arrests of Torrington High School students that broke the same day as the public budget hearing.

With Kloczko's proposed "investments" budget, music programs are not immediately on the chopping block. What is in trouble, freshman, junior varsity and middle school sports, which represent a $150,000 cut, and two THS teachers and one high school guidance counselor, which amount to a $150,364 cut.

Kloczko offered her congratulations to Torrington for their Best Communities award, as did Ken Traub, chair of the Board of Education, who said, "We are extremely proud of everyone involved."

"Once again, I am so proud that the Torrington Public Schools have been recognized for their outstanding music education program," said Senator Kevin Witkos, (R- -8). "Year after year, Torrington has been named a Best Community for Music Education, and I congratulate the teachers, administrator and students who made this possible. By maintaining support for high quality music education, our community has proven itself to be a place where children can learn the values of hard work, dedication and excellence."